[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 89 (Tuesday, June 22, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7423-S7426]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              CHILD LABOR

  Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, I was talking this morning about a very 
significant event that transpired last week in Geneva on June 17. It 
was a historic event in the battle to end the scourge of abusive and 
exploitative child labor. By a unanimous vote, the International Labor 
Organization's member states, including the United States, approved a 
new convention banning the worst forms of child labor.
  For the first time in history, the world spoke with one voice in 
opposition to abusive and exploitative child labor. Countries from 
across the political, economic, and religious spectrum--from Jewish to 
Muslim, from Buddhists to Christians--came together to proclaim 
unequivocally that ``abusive and exploitative child labor is a practice 
which will not be tolerated and must be abolished.''
  Gone is the argument that abusive and exploitative child labor is an 
acceptable practice because of a country's economic circumstances. Gone 
is the argument that abusive and exploitative child labor is acceptable 
because of cultural traditions. And gone is the argument that abusive 
and exploitative child labor is a necessary evil on the road to 
economic development. The United States and the international community 
as a whole unanimously for the first time laid those arguments to rest 
and laid the groundwork to begin the process of ending the scourge of 
abusive and exploitative child labor.
  Mr. President, for the better part of a decade, I have been in my own 
capacity working to do what I can to end abusive and exploitative child 
labor around the globe, including in the United States. The ILO 
estimates that there are about 250 million children worldwide, many as 
young as 6 or 7, who are working. These are not just part-time jobs. 
Many of them work in dangerous environments which are detrimental to 
their emotional, physical, and moral well-being.
  Last year, I traveled with my staff to Katmandu, Nepal, and also to 
Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. We were able to witness firsthand the 
abuse of child labor.
  This chart shows a plant we went to in Katmandu. It was on a Sunday. 
I was taken there by a young man who had previously been a child 
laborer. On the outside of the gate there was this sign in both 
Nepalese and English: Child labour under the age of 14 is strictly 
prohibited.
  I actually took this picture. Because we had information that the 
owner was gone and this young man I was with knew the guard at the 
gate, we were let in. When we were let in, I started taking pictures. 
This is one of many pictures I have of some of the young children 
working in that plant. We determined their ages to be somewhere in the 
neighborhood of 7 or 8 years. This was about 7 or 8 o'clock on a Sunday 
night. These kids were working in very dusty, dirty conditions, and 
this shows them as virtual slaves, unable to leave, unable to do 
anything but work at the rug plant.
  This gives a little idea of the child labor I was able to glimpse on 
my trip. Had they known we were coming to that plant, they would have 
taken the children out the back door and we would not have seen any 
children there. They would have said: See, we don't have any child 
labor.
  That is why it took a surreptitious action on my part to get in and 
take the pictures, so that I could get proof of the child labor and the 
deplorable conditions which occur not just in Nepal, but all over the 
world.
  In India, I met children who were liberated from hand-knotted carpet 
factories where they were chained--chained, Mr. President--to looms and 
forced to work as many as 12 hours a day, 7 days a week. These children 
were nothing more than slaves. They earned no money. They received no 
education. They had no hope for a future until they were freed by the 
South Asian Coalition Against Child Servitude, headed by Kailash 
Satyarthi.
  I have a chart prepared with ILO data. We see Latin America and the 
Caribbean have about 17 million children working; Africa, 80 million; 
Asia, 153 million; and about half a million in Oceania. That comes down 
to a total of about 250 million children worldwide.
  Again, I want to be clear that we are not just talking about kids 
working after school, working part-time. That is not it at all. The 
convention that the ILO adopted deals with children who are chained to 
looms, handle dangerous chemicals, ingest metal dust, are forced to 
sell illegal drugs, forced into prostitution, forced into armed 
conflict, some of whom who work in glass factories where furnace 
temperatures exceed 1,500 degrees. These children are forced to work 
with no protective equipment. They work only for the economic gains of 
others. This is in sharp contrast to any kind of a part-time job for 
some spending money for the latest CD.
  In this picture, taken in the Sialkot region of Pakistan, 8-year-old 
Mohammad Ashraf Irfan is making surgical equipment. He is 8 years old 
working around hot metal and sharp instruments. He has no protective 
clothing on at all, not even for his eyes. This is his lot in life at 
the ripe old age of 8. This is what the convention, adopted in Geneva 
last week, will start preventing.
  Mr. President, as you and many of my colleagues know, President 
Clinton traveled to Geneva, Switzerland, last week to address the 
International Labor Organization's conference. He is the first 
President in U.S. history to address the ILO in its 80-year history. 
Imagine that. I was privileged to be asked to accompany the President 
for this historic event.
  In his address to the ILO, President Clinton spoke eloquently of the 
crying need to protect all children from abusive and exploitative 
labor. The President said, in part:
  There are some things we cannot and will not tolerate. We will not 
tolerate children being used in pornography and prostitution. We will 
not tolerate children in slavery or bondage. We will not

[[Page S7424]]

tolerate children being forcibly recruited to serve in armed conflicts. 
We will not tolerate young children risking their health and breaking 
their bodies in hazardous and dangerous working conditions for hours 
unconscionably long--regardless of country, regardless of circumstance.

  I cannot agree more. I was very proud of President Clinton--proud 
that he was the first U.S. President in history to address the ILO, 
proud that he focused his remarks on the issue of child labor and on 
his support for this convention.
  I will briefly describe the new Convention on the Worst Forms of 
Child Labor. I ask unanimous consent that a copy of the convention be 
printed in the Record following my remarks.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  (See exhibit 1.)
  Mr. HARKIN. The convention defines the worst forms as being all forms 
of slavery, debt bondage, forced or compulsory labor, the sale and 
trafficking of children, including forced or compulsory recruitment of 
children for use in armed conflict, child prostitution, children 
producing and trafficking in narcotic drugs, or any other work which, 
by its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out, is 
likely to harm the health, the safety, or morals of children. It also 
defines a child as any person under the age of 18.
  Mr. President, this is what we are talking about. Look at this young 
girl in this photograph. We do not know her age, but from all accounts, 
people who know this area say she is probably less than 9 years old. 
She and her two friends have straps around their heads, and she is 
carrying what looks like seven big blocks or bricks on her back which 
are much to heavy for such a small child and are doing permanent damage 
to her spine and neck. She is barefoot and hunched over. As you can 
see, her friends of an equal age are carrying a similar load.
  These are the worst forms of child labor. That is what this 
convention is all about. The convention calls on the ILO member states 
to take immediate and effective actions to prohibit and eliminate the 
worst forms of child labor.
  I am looking at a chart, which is a photo of another young girl in 
India carrying construction material on her head. One can see her arms 
are straight, her face is dirty and sweaty, and she should be in school 
rather than having all this construction material, about 30 or 40 
pounds piled on the top of her head. She is also doing permanent damage 
to her neck and spine. This is the sort of gross labor abuse the 
convention seeks to end.
  As I said, the convention defines a child for these purposes as any 
child under the age of 18. It calls on member states to implement 
action plans to move children from the workplace to the classroom. 
UNICEF reports that over 1 billion adults will be functionally 
illiterate on the eve of the new millennium because they worked as 
children and were denied an education.
  That is why I am especially pleased about the importance the 
convention placed on education as a principal means for reducing 
instances of abusive and exploitative child labor. I believe very 
strongly that these child laborers must go from exploitation to 
education.
  This chart shows a list of what the convention abolishes: Child 
slavery, child bondage, child prostitution, children in pornography, 
trafficking in children, forced recruitment of children for armed 
conflict, recruitment of children in the production or sale of 
narcotics, and hazardous work by children.
  But, let me come back to the forced recruitment of children for armed 
conflict for just a moment. We do not have forced recruitment in the 
United States for children. But I am aware our Armed Forces are able to 
recruit children who are 17 years of age. Quite frankly, we need a 
debate in this body about whether or not we ought to allow that to 
continue. I, for one, believe that the armed services ought to be held 
in abeyance from recruiting and signing up young people in the armed 
services until they at least reach the age of 18. But that is a debate 
for another time.
  As I stated earlier, I believe that children should go from 
exploitation to education. We visited a very important milestone in 
this effort in Dacca, Bangladesh, last year when we found almost 10,000 
young children, mostly girls--about 90 percent--who had been working in 
the garment factories. After an historic agreement with the help of the 
ILO and the Bangladeshi Garment Manufacturers Export Association, these 
children were moved out of the garment factories and into about 353 
schools established in Dacca for this sole purpose.
  We visited a couple of those schools, and I will just tell you, 
looking at these young girls, who maybe a year before could not read or 
write, now were standing up and reciting whole passages from books, 
being able to write, and you could see in their eyes they are not going 
to go back to exploitation.
  The people in Bangladesh, in the government and in industry, said it 
is probably one of the best things that has happened to them, because 
they are going to have a more highly educated workforce, a more 
productive workforce, and that means their whole standard of living is 
going to increase.
  The convention adopted last week also calls on all member nations to 
identify and reach out to children at special risk and to take into 
account the special situation of girls with regard to education. And I 
am also very pleased about that provision.
  There are many other important elements contained in the convention 
which I have not mentioned. I encourage all of my colleagues to read 
this document thoroughly.
  I would also mention another historic fact about this convention.
  For the first time in its history, the U.S. tripartite group to the 
ILO, which consists of representatives from government, business and 
labor, went to Geneva to negotiate on this important convention, and 
they unanimously agreed on the final version.
  So I commend Secretary of Labor Alexis Herman and the other members 
of the U.S. delegation, including Mr. John Sweeney, the president of 
the AFL-CIO, and Ed Potter, from the U.S. Council on International 
Business, for their leadership on this convention.
  With the adoption of the new Convention on the Worst Forms of Child 
Labor, the ILO has written an important new chapter in our effort to 
honor our values and protect our children.
  Today, in recognition of this effort, I offered a sense-of-the-Senate 
resolution regarding the International Labor Organization's new 
Convention on the Worst Forms of Child Labor which was accepted as part 
of the managers' package. This amendment calls upon the President to 
promptly submit to the Senate the new convention. It commends the ILO 
member states for their negotiating efforts and states that it should 
be the policy of the United States to work with all foreign nations and 
international organizations to promote an end to abusive and 
exploitative child labor.
  Again, it is my understanding that very shortly President Clinton 
will be transmitting this convention to the Senate for our 
consideration. I am hopeful that the Committee on Foreign Relations 
will take up the convention, have hearings on it, and report it out as 
soon as possible.
  Again, with the unanimous support of labor, government and business, 
I see no reason why the United States should not be one of the first 
countries to ratify this new convention. So I am hopeful that before 
this session of the Congress ends that the Senate will act on it and 
ratify the Convention on the Worst Forms of Child Labor.
  Once again, I thank Senators Wellstone, Kohl, Lautenberg, Kennedy, 
Dodd, Torricelli, Wyden, and Feingold for cosponsoring this important 
amendment.

                               Exhibit 1


A. Proposed Convention concerning the prohibition and immediate action 
         for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour

       The General Conference of the International Labour 
     Organization.
       Having been convened at Geneva by the Governing Body of the 
     International Labour Office, and having met in its 87th 
     Session on 1 June 1999, and
       Considering the need to adopt new instruments for the 
     prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child 
     labour, as the main priority for national and international 
     action, including international cooperation and assistance, 
     to complement the Convention and Recommendation concerning 
     Minimum Age for Admission to Employment,

[[Page S7425]]

     1973, which remain fundamental instruments on child labour, 
     and
       Considering that the effective elimination of the worst 
     forms of child labour requires immediate and comprehensive 
     action, taking into account the importance of free basic 
     education and the need to remove the children concerned from 
     all such work and to provide for their rehabilitation and 
     social integration while addressing the needs of their 
     families, and
       Recalling the Resolution concerning the elimination of 
     child labour adopted by the International Labour Conference 
     at its 83rd Session, in 1996.
       Recognizing that child labour is to a great extent caused 
     by poverty and that the long-term solution lies in sustained 
     economic growth leading to social progress, in particular 
     poverty alleviation and universal education, and
       Recalling the Convention on the Rights of the Child adopted 
     by the United Nations General Assembly on 20 November 1989, 
     and
       Recalling the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and 
     Rights at Work and its Follow-up, adopted by the 
     International Labour Conference at its 86th Session in 1998, 
     and
       Recalling that some of the worst forms of child labour are 
     covered by other international instruments, in particular the 
     Forced Labour Convention, 1930, and the United Nations 
     Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the 
     Slave Trade, and Institutions and Practices Similar to 
     Slavery, 1956, and
       Having decided upon the adoption of certain proposals with 
     regard to child labour, which is the fourth item on the 
     agenda of the session, and
       Having determined that these proposals shall take the form 
     of an international Convention;

     adopts this 17th day of June of the year one thousand nine 
     hundred and ninety-nine the following Convention, which may 
     be cited as the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999.

                               Article 1

       Each Member which ratifies this Convention shall take 
     immediate and effective measures to secure the prohibition 
     and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, as a 
     matter of urgency

                               Article 2

       For the purposes of this Convention, the term ``child'' 
     shall apply to all persons under the age of 18.

                               Article 3

       For the purposes of this Convention, the expression ``the 
     worst forms of child labour'' comprises:
       (a) all forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery, 
     such as the same and trafficking of children, debt bondage 
     and serfdom and forced or compulsory labour, including forced 
     or compulsory recruitment of children for use in armed 
     conflict;
       (b) the use, procuring or offering of a child for 
     prostitution, for the production of pornography or for 
     pornographic performances;
       (c) the use, procuring or offering of a child for illicit 
     activities, in particular for the production and trafficking 
     of drugs as defined in the relevant international treaties;
       (d) work which, by its nature or the circumstances in which 
     it is carried out, is likely to harm the health, safety or 
     morals of children.

                               Article 4

       1. The types of work referred to under Article 3(d) shall 
     be determined by national laws or regulations or by the 
     competent authority, after consultation with the 
     organizations of employers and workers concerned, taking into 
     consideration relevant international standards, in particular 
     Paragraphs 3 and 4 of the Worst Forms of Child Labour 
     Recommendation, 1999.
       2. The competent authority, after consultation with the 
     organizations of employers and workers concerned, shall 
     identify where the types of work so determined exist.
       3. The list of types of work determined under paragraph 1 
     of this Article shall be periodically examined and revised as 
     necessary, in consultation with the organizations of 
     employers and workers.

                               Article 5

       Each Member shall, after consultation with employers' and 
     workers' organizations, establish or designate appropriate 
     mechanisms to monitor the implementation of the provisions 
     giving effect to this Convention.

                               Article 6

       1. Each Member shall design and implement programmes of 
     action to eliminate as a priority the worst forms of child 
     labour.
       2. Such programmes of action shall be designed and 
     implemented in consultation with relevant government 
     institutions and employers' and workers' organizations, 
     taking into consideration the views of other concerned groups 
     as appropriate.

                               Article 7

       1. Each Member shall take all necessary measures to ensure 
     the effective implementation and enforcement of the 
     provisions giving effect to this Convention including the 
     provision and application of penal sanctions or, as 
     appropriate, other sanctions.
       2. Each Member shall, taking into account the importance of 
     education in eliminating child labour, take effective and 
     time-bound measures to:
       (a) prevent the engagement of children in the worst forms 
     of child labour;
       (b) provide the necessary and appropriate direct assistance 
     for the removal of children from the worst forms of child 
     labour, and for their rehabilitation and social integration;
       (c) ensure access to free basic education, and, wherever 
     possible and appropriate, vocational training, for all 
     children removed from the worst forms of child labour;
       (d) identify and reach out to children at special risk; and
       (e) take account of the special situation of girls.
       3. Each Member shall designate the competent authority 
     responsible for the implementation of the provisions giving 
     effect to this Convention

                               Article 8

       Members shall take appropriate steps to assist one another 
     in giving effect to the provisions of this Convention through 
     enhanced international cooperation and/or assistance, 
     including support for social and economic development, 
     poverty eradication programs, and universal education.


B. Proposed Convention concerning the prohibition and immediate action 
         for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour

       The General Conference of the International Labour 
     Organization,
       Having been convened at Geneva by the Governing Body of the 
     International Labour Office, and having met in its 87th 
     Session on 1 June 1999, and
       Having adopted the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 
     1999, and
       Having decided upon the adoption of certain proposals with 
     regard to child labour, which is the fourth item on the 
     agenda of the session, and
       Having determined that these proposals shall take the form 
     of a Recommendation supplementing the Worst Forms of Child 
     Labour Convention, 1999;

     adopts this 17th day of June of the year one thousands nine 
     hundred and ninety-nine the following Recommendation, which 
     may be cited as the Worse Forms of Child Labour 
     Recommendation, 1999.
       1. The provisions of this Recommendation supplement those 
     of the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 
     (hereafter referred to as ``the Convention''), and should be 
     applied in conjunction with them.

                        I. Programmes of action

       2. The programmes of action referred to in Article 6 of the 
     Convention should be designed and implemented, as a matter of 
     urgency, in consultation with relevant government 
     institutions and employers' and workers' organizations, 
     taking into consideration the views of the children directly 
     affected by the worst forms of child labour, their families 
     and, as appropriate, other concerned groups committed to the 
     aims of the Convention and this Recommendation. Such programs 
     should aim at, inter alia:
       (a) identifying and denouncing the worst forms of child 
     labour;
       (b) preventing the engagement of children in or removing 
     them from the worst forms of child labour, protecting them 
     from reprisals and providing for their rehabilitation and 
     social integration through measures which address their 
     educational, physical and psychological needs:
       (c) giving special attention to:
       (i) younger children;
       (ii) the girl child;
       (iii) the problem of hidden work situations, in which girls 
     are at special risk;
       (iv) other groups of children with special vulnerabilities 
     or needs;
       (d) identifying, reaching out to and working with 
     communities where children are at special risk;
       (e) informing, sensitizing and mobilizing public opinion 
     and concerned groups, including children and their families.

                           II. Hazardous work

       3. In determining the types of work referred to under 
     Article 3(d) of the Convention, and in identifying where they 
     exist, consideration should be given, inter alia to:
       (a) work which exposes children to physical, psychological 
     or sexual abuse;
       (b) work underground, under water, at dangerous heights or 
     in confined spaces;
       (c) work with dangerous machinery, equipment and tools, or 
     which involves the manual handling or transport of heavy 
     loads;
       (d) work in an unhealthy environment which may, for 
     example, expose children to hazardous substances, agents or 
     processes, or, to temperatures, noise levels, or vibrations 
     damaging to their health;
       (e) work under particularly difficult conditions such as 
     work for long hours or during the night or work where the 
     child is unreasonably confined to the premises of the 
     employer.
       4. For the types of work referred to under Article 3(d) of 
     the Convention and Paragraph 3 above, national laws or 
     regulations, or the competent authority, may, after 
     consultation with the workers' and employers' organizations 
     concerned, authorize employment or work as from the age of 
     16, on condition that the health, safety and morals of the 
     children concerned are fully protected, and the children 
     have received adequate specific instruction or vocational 
     training in the relevant branch of activity.

                          III. Implementation

       5. (1) Detailed information and statistical data on the 
     nature and extent of child labour should be compiled and kept 
     up to date to serve as a basis for determining priorities for

[[Page S7426]]

     national action for the abolition of child labour, in 
     particular for the prohibition and elimination of its worst 
     forms, as a matter of urgency.
       (2) As far as possible, such information and statistical 
     data should include data disaggregated by sex, age group, 
     occupation, branch of economic activity and status in 
     employment, school attendance and geographical location. The 
     importance of an effective system of birth registration, 
     including the issuing of birth certificates, should be taken 
     into account.
       (3) Relevant data concerning violations of national 
     provisions for the prohibition and immediate elimination of 
     the worst forms of child labour should be compiled and kept 
     up to date.
       6. The compilation and processing of the information and 
     data referred to in Paragraph 5 above should be carried out 
     with due regard for the right to privacy.
       7. The information compiled under Paragraph 5 should be 
     communicated to the International Labour Office on a regular 
     basis.
       8. Members should establish or designate appropriate 
     national mechanisms to monitor the implementation of national 
     provisions for the prohibition and elimination of the worst 
     forms of child labour after consultation with employers' and 
     workers' organizations.
       9. Members should ensure that the competent authorities 
     which have responsibilities for implementing national 
     provisions for the prohibition and elimination of the worst 
     forms of child labour cooperate with each other and 
     coordinate their activities.
       10. National laws or regulations or the competent authority 
     should determine the persons to be held responsible in the 
     event of non-compliance with national provisions for the 
     prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child 
     labour.
       11. Members should, in so far as it is compatible with 
     national law, cooperate with international efforts aimed at 
     the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child 
     labour as a matter of urgency by:
       (a) gathering and exchanging information concerning 
     criminal offences, including those involving international 
     networks;
       (b) detecting and prosecuting those involved in the sale 
     and trafficking of children, or in the use, procuring or 
     offering of children for illicit activities, for 
     prostitution, for the production of pornography or for 
     pornographic performances;
       (c) registering perpetrators of such offences.
       12. Members should provide that the following worst forms 
     of child labour are criminal offences:
       (a) all forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery, 
     such as the sale and trafficking of children, debt bondage 
     and serfdom and forced or compulsory labour, including forced 
     or compulsory recruitment of children for use in armed 
     conflict;
       (b) the use, procuring or offering of a child for 
     prostitution, for the production of pornography or for 
     pornographic performances; and
       (c) the use, procuring or offering of a child for illicit 
     activities, in particular for the production and trafficking 
     of drugs as defined in the relevant international treaties, 
     or for activities which involve the unlawful carrying or use 
     of firearms or other weapons.
       13. Members should ensure that penalties including, where 
     appropriate, criminal penalties are applied for violations of 
     the national provisions for the prohibition and elimination 
     of any type of work referred to in Article 3(d) of the 
     Convention.
       14. Members should also provide, as a matter of urgency, 
     for other criminal, civil or administrative remedies, where 
     appropriate, to ensure the effective enforcement of national 
     provisions for the prohibition and immediate elimination of 
     the worst forms of child labour, such as special supervision 
     of enterprises which have used the worst forms of child 
     labour, and, in cases of persistent violation, consideration 
     of temporary or permanent revoking of permits to operate.
       15. Other measures aimed at the prohibition and immediate 
     elimination of the worst forms of child labour might include 
     the following:
       (a) informing, sensitizing and mobilizing the general 
     public, including national and local political leaders, 
     parliamentarians and the judiciary.
       (b) involving and training employers' and workers' 
     organizations and civic organizations;
       (c) providing appropriate training for government officials 
     concerned, especially inspectors and law enforcement 
     officials, and for other relevant professionals;
       (d) providing for the prosecution in their own country of 
     the Member's nationals who commit offences under its national 
     provisions for the prohibition and immediate elimination of 
     the worst forms of child labour even when these offences 
     are committed in another country;
       (e) simplifying legal and administrative procedures and 
     ensuring that they are appropriate and prompt;
       (f) encouraging the development of policies by undertakings 
     to promote the aims of the Convention;
       (g) monitoring and giving publicity to best practices on 
     the elimination of child labour;
       (h) giving publicity to legal or other provisions on child 
     labour in the different languages or dialects;
       (i) establishing special complaints procedures and making 
     provisions to protect from discrimination and reprisals those 
     who legitimately expose violations of the provisions of the 
     Convention, as well as establishing help lines or points of 
     contact and ombudspersons;
       (j) adopting appropriate measures to improve the 
     educational infrastructure and the training of teachers to 
     meet the needs of boys and girls;
       (k) as far as possible, taking into account in national 
     programs of action the need for job creation and vocational 
     training for the parents and adults in the families of the 
     children working in the conditions covered by the Convention 
     and the need for sensitizing parents on the problem of 
     children working in such conditions.
       16. Enhanced international cooperation and/or assistance 
     among Members for the prohibition and effective elimination 
     of the worst forms of child labour should complement national 
     efforts and may, as appropriate, be developed and implemented 
     in consultation with employers' and workers' organizations. 
     Such international cooperation and/or assistance should 
     include:
       (a) mobilizing resources for national or international 
     programmes;
       (b) mutual legal assistance;
       (c) technical assistance including the exchange of 
     information;
       (d) support for social and economic development, poverty 
     eradication programmes and universal education.


                             ILO CONVENTION

  Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, as my good friend from Delaware is aware, 
last week the International Labor Organization (ILO) unanimously 
adopted a new Convention on the Worst Forms of Child Labor. This 
Convention calls on ILO Member States to take immediate and effective 
actions to prohibit and eliminate the worst forms of child labor. The 
Convention also defines the worst forms of child labor as: all forms of 
slavery, debt bondage, forced or compulsory labor, or the sale and 
trafficking of children, including forced or compulsory recruitment of 
children for use in armed conflict; child prostitution; children 
producing and trafficking of narcotic drugs; or any other work which by 
its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out, is likely 
to harm the health, safety, or morals of children. It also defines a 
child as any person under the age of 18.
  I was privileged to travel with the President to the ILO where he 
addressed the delegates on child labor and affirmed the United States 
Government support of this important Convention.
  Would the Senator from Delaware agree that this important and 
historic Convention should be considered as a high priority item and 
considered in a timely fashion after submission to the Senate by the 
President?
  Mr. BIDEN. My friend from Iowa is correct. This is an important 
Convention and I assure you that from my point of view this new 
Convention on the Worst Forms of Child Labor should be a high priority. 
I am aware that this Convention pertains to abolishing child slavery, 
child prostitution and other hazardous work endangering a child's well-
being. Therefore, I will work with the Chairman of the Committee to try 
to bring this treaty before the Committee as soon as practical after it 
is submitted by the President.

                          ____________________